香附，味苦而甘，气寒而浓，阳中阴也，无毒。入肝、胆之经。专解气郁气疼，调经逐
瘀，
除皮肤瘙痒，止霍乱吐逆，崩漏下血，乳肿痈疮，皆可治疗。宿食能消，泄泻能固，长毛发
，引血药至气分，此乃气血中必用之品。可为佐使，而不可为君臣。今人不知其故，用香附
为君，以治妇人之病，如乌金丸、四制香附丸之类，暂服未
尝不快，久之而虚者益虚，郁者更郁，何也。香附非补剂也，用之下气以推陈，非用之下气
以生新；引血药至气分而散郁，非引血药入气分而生血也。舍气血之味，欲其阴生阳长得乎
？故气虚宜补，必用参、 。血少宜生，必须归、熟。香附不过调和于其内，参赞之寮佐，
而轻任之为大将，鲜不败乃事矣。
或问香附为解郁圣药，吾子谓不可为君，岂香附不能解郁耶？曰∶香附不解郁，又何药
以解
郁，但不可专用之为君耳。盖郁病未有不伤肝者也，香附入肝入胆之经，而又解气，自易开
肝中之滞涩。但伤肝必伤其血，而香附不能生血也，必得白芍药、当归以济之，则血足而郁
尤易解也。夫君药中之解郁者，莫善于芍药。芍药得臣使，速于解者，莫妙于香附、柴胡。
是芍药为香附之君，而香附为芍药之佐，合而治郁，何郁不解乎。
或问香附解郁而开胃，乃有用香附而郁仍不解，胃仍不开，岂又芍药、当归之未用乎？
曰∶
是又不尽然也。香附解郁者，解易舒之郁也；香附开胃者，开未伤之胃也。相思之病，必得
其心上之人，而郁乃解；断肠之症，必得其意外之喜，而胃乃开。区区香附，固自无功，即
益之以大料之芍药、浓味之当归，亦有无可如何者矣。岂尽可望于草木之解郁而开胃哉。
或问香附解郁之品，先生谓解郁之无用，是郁症乃不可解之症，吾甚为天下之有郁者危
矣。
嗟！郁之不解者，非草木之能开。而郁之可解者，舍草木，
又奚以开之耶。香附正开郁之可解者也。可解之郁，而欲舍香附而求之草木之外，斯惑矣。
或疑香附性燥，故易入肝，肝气既郁，而肝木必加燥矣，以燥投燥，又何解郁之有？曰∶香
附之解郁，正取其燥也。惟燥，故易入于燥之中，惟
燥，故不可单用于燥之内，和之以芍药、当归，则燥中有润而肝舒，燥中不燥而郁解也。
香附，味道苦而甘，性质寒凉且气味浓烈，属于阳中之阴，没有毒性。归入肝经和胆经。专门解除气机郁滞和气滞疼痛，调理月经并驱逐瘀血，消除皮肤瘙痒，止住霍乱引起的呕吐和逆气，治疗崩漏下血、乳房肿胀痈疮等病症，都可以治愈。它能消化积食，固涩泄泻，促进头发生长，引导血药进入气分，这是气血病证中必须使用的药物。它可以作为佐使药，但不能作为君臣药。现在的人不了解其中的缘故，用香附作为君药来治疗妇女的疾病，像乌金丸、四制香附丸这类方剂，暂时服用未尝不觉得舒适，但时间久了，虚损的会更加虚损，郁滞的更加郁滞，为什么呢？因为香附不是补益剂，用它下气是为了推陈出新，而不是为了在下气的同时生新；它引导血药进入气分以疏散郁滞，并不是为了将血药引入气分来生血。舍弃了气血滋味的根本，想要达到阴生阳长的效果吗？所以气虚应当补益，必须用人参、黄芪（注：原文此处缺字，根据语境及常用配伍推测为参芪或类似补气药，但严格按原文翻译则留空或略过，此处依原文“参、”处理，意为人参等）；血少应当生血，必须用当归、熟地黄。香附只是在内部进行调和，是辅助参赞的僚佐之臣，如果把它轻率地任命为大将，很少有不败事的。
有人问：香附是解郁的圣药，您却说它不可作为君药，难道香附不能解郁吗？回答说：如果香附不解郁，又有什么药能解郁呢？只是不可以单独将它作为君药罢了。大概郁证没有不损伤肝脏的，香附归入肝经和胆经，又能疏理气机，自然容易开通肝脏中的滞涩。但是伤肝必然伤及其血液，而香附不能生血，必须得到白芍药、当归来资助它，那么血液充足而郁滞就更容易解除了。在君药中，解郁没有比白芍药更好的了。白芍药得到臣使药的配合，快速解郁没有比香附、柴胡更巧妙的了。所以白芍药是香附的君药，而香附是白芍药的佐药，两者合用来治疗郁证，有什么郁结不能解开呢？
有人问：香附既能解郁又能开胃，为什么有用香附却郁结仍不解，胃仍不开的情况？这难道又是因为没有使用白芍药、当归吗？回答说：这又不完全如此。香附所解的郁，是容易舒展的郁结；香附所开的胃，是尚未受伤的胃。相思的病，必须得到心上之人，郁结才能解开；断肠的痛苦，必须得到意外之喜，胃口才能打开。区区一味香附，固然没有什么功效，即使加上大剂量的白芍药、浓郁味道的当归，也有无可奈何的时候。哪里能全指望草木药物来解郁开胃呢？
有人问：香附是解郁的药物，先生却说解郁无用，那是郁症是不可解的病，我为天下患有郁症的人感到危险啊。唉！郁结无法解开的，不是草木药物所能开启的。而郁结可以解开的，除了草木药物，又靠什么来开启呢？香附正是针对那些可以解开的郁结而言的。对于可以解开的郁结，如果想要舍弃香附而在草木药物之外去寻找，这就是糊涂了。
有人怀疑香附性燥，所以容易进入肝脏，肝气既然郁滞，肝木必然更加干燥，用燥性的药去治燥性的病，又有什么解郁的作用呢？回答说：香附之所以能解郁，正是利用它的燥性。正因为燥，所以容易进入燥邪之中；正因为燥，所以不能在燥证中单独使用，如果用白芍药、当归来调和它，那么在燥中就有滋润而肝气舒展，在燥中不显燥性而郁结得以解除。
Xiangfu (Cyperus Rotundus Rhizome), with a bitter and sweet taste, cold nature, and strong aroma, belongs to Yin within Yang, and is non-toxic. It enters the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. It specializes in resolving Qi stagnation and Qi-stagnation pain, regulating menstruation and expelling blood stasis, eliminating skin itching, stopping vomiting and regurgitation caused by Huoluan (Cholera-like syndrome), treating metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (abnormal uterine bleeding), breast swelling, and carbuncles and sores, all of which can be cured. It can digest retained food, consolidate diarrhea, promote hair growth, and guide blood-invigorating herbs into the Qi level; it is an essential herb for disorders involving both Qi and Blood. It can serve as an assistant or courier herb but cannot serve as the sovereign herb. People nowadays do not understand the reason behind this; they use Xiangfu as the sovereign herb to treat women's diseases, such as in Wujin Wan (Black Gold Pill) and Sizhi Xiangfu Wan (Four-Processed Cyperus Pill). Although temporary relief may be felt, prolonged use causes deficiency to worsen and stagnation to deepen. Why? Because Xiangfu is not a tonic. Its downward-moving action is used to eliminate the old, not to generate the new; its ability to guide blood herbs into the Qi level is used to dissipate stagnation, not to generate blood by entering the Qi level. How can one expect Yin to grow and Yang to thrive by abandoning the essence of nourishing Qi and Blood? Therefore, when Qi is deficient, tonification is required, using Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) and Huang Qi (Astragalus Root); when Blood is scant, generation is necessary, using Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis Root) and Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root). Xiangfu merely harmonizes internally, acting as a supportive ministerial aide. If lightly appointed as a general commander, failure is rare to avoid.
One might ask: "Xiangfu is the holy medicine for resolving stagnation, yet you say it cannot be the sovereign herb. Does Xiangfu fail to resolve stagnation?" I reply: "If Xiangfu does not resolve stagnation, what other herb can? However, it should not be used exclusively as the sovereign herb." Generally, stagnation syndromes invariably injure the Liver. Since Xiangfu enters the Liver and Gallbladder meridians and regulates Qi, it naturally facilitates the opening of stagnation in the Liver. But injuring the Liver inevitably injures its Blood, and Xiangfu cannot generate Blood. It must be combined with Bai Shao Yao (White Peony Root) and Dang Gui to assist it; only when Blood is sufficient will stagnation be easier to resolve. Among sovereign herbs for resolving stagnation, none is superior to Bai Shao Yao. When Bai Shao Yao is supported by ministerial and courier herbs, none are more effective for rapid resolution than Xiangfu and Chai Hu (Bupleurum Root). Thus, Bai Shao Yao is the sovereign herb for Xiangfu, while Xiangfu is the assistant herb for Bai Shao Yao. Combined to treat stagnation, what stagnation would remain unresolved?
One might ask: "Xiangfu resolves stagnation and opens the Stomach. Why is there a case where Xiangfu is used but stagnation remains unresolved and the Stomach remains closed? Is this because Bai Shao Yao and Dang Gui were not used?" I reply: "This is not entirely accurate. The stagnation resolved by Xiangfu is that which is easily relaxed; the Stomach opened by Xiangfu is that which has not yet been injured. For lovesickness, one must obtain the person of their heart for the stagnation to resolve; for heartbreak, one must experience unexpected joy for the appetite to open. A mere herb like Xiangfu inherently lacks efficacy; even adding large doses of Bai Shao Yao and rich-tasted Dang Gui, there are situations beyond remedy. One cannot solely rely on herbal medicines to resolve stagnation and open the Stomach."
One might ask: "Sir, you consider Xiangfu a herb for resolving stagnation, yet you claim resolving stagnation is useless. This implies stagnation syndromes are incurable. I am deeply concerned for those suffering from stagnation worldwide." Alas! Stagnation that cannot be resolved is not something herbal medicines can open. But for stagnation that *can* be resolved, apart from herbal medicines, what else could open it? Xiangfu precisely addresses the type of stagnation that is resolvable. To seek remedies for resolvable stagnation outside of herbs like Xiangfu is indeed confused reasoning.
Some suspect that because Xiangfu is drying in nature, it easily enters the Liver. Once Liver Qi is stagnant, Liver Wood becomes dry; applying a drying agent to a dry condition, how can it resolve stagnation? I reply: "The reason Xiangfu resolves stagnation lies precisely in its drying nature. Because it is drying, it easily penetrates into dryness; because it is drying, it must not be used alone in dry conditions. Harmonized with Bai Shao Yao and Dang Gui, moisture is introduced into dryness, allowing Liver Qi to relax, and the drying nature is mitigated, thereby resolving stagnation."